| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
|
Stella Kirk
New Member
United Kingdom
15 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Apr 2007 : 7:20:18 PM
|
|
anyone got any tips on how to accustom a horse to trains and the noises they can make. My horse needs to go near railway lines on a hack and also compete near a train line. Would be glad of any advice
|
|
Report to moderator
|
|
|
Taylor
Gold Member
England
1432 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2007 : 8:05:29 PM
|
Our horses field is right next to a train line and we have several go past a day, the horses dont even bat an eyelid or lift their heads from the grass. Mind due if im going out riding I always time it so the train has past, dont fancy being on top of the bridge as it passes underneath.
Sorry I know thats of no help to you but can you get hold of a CD with train noises on and play it to your horse. I know there are CDs around to bombproof your horse to crowd noises etc.. There must be one around, failing that just go to your nearest trainstation with a tape recorder   |
Report to Moderator  |
|
|
Roseanne
Moderator
United Kingdom
6708 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2007 : 9:51:00 PM
|
It sounds like the aircraft noises our horses have to get used to. A few years ago it was the FIIIs (during the cruise missile era) and then when they left the RAF training the middle eastern pilots took the airspace so it's been occasional harriers/hawks/jaguars and the really violent, fast, fighter jets, plus Hercules transport planes (the HUGE ones that potter along just above tree level and are massive!!!).
Nowadays we have those intermingled with helicopters; most of which aren't bad but the Chinooks, when they come as low as they're allowed, are really frightening to the horses, with rotor blades at back and front.
I've always been frightened at taking youngsters out when these go by, especially the low Chinooks and the fighters when they're 'bursting' (allowed to go at 750 mph and at 250 feet high...!!).
The horses seem to have got used to all but these last two. I have phoned Fighter Command but basically they say there is a need to do it for world 'peace' and they won't take responsibility which is a bit rich really!
As far as your horse is concerned, I think if you can get the horse to a field near the trains it won't take very long at all until it doesn't give a hoot (if you'll excuse the pun...).
|
Roseanne |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
Evie
Platinum Member
England
3513 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2007 : 10:17:11 PM
|
| Tara used to be kept in a field right next to a mainline railway for about a year when she was over near Oxford so I thought she'd be used to trains, but I was riding her up the road next to the tube station yesterday and a train was in the station and when it pulled away she shied at it and then stood in the middle of the road staring at it while it moved away and disappeared!! |
Bristol |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
beau
Gold Member
United Kingdom
806 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2007 : 10:49:57 AM
|
Do you KNOW that your horse is going to react badly etc, sorry to be obvious - reason - i used to keep beau at a yard where when on a hack we didnt need to ride on road (downs) moved him to a new yard much closer to me, on hacks we meet tunnels/bridges for trains/motorway/eurostar etc he has never panicked or even shied, when i first hacked him under the e/star when it came over i was more scared then him - any of you in the same boat as me will know that being under the eurostar bridge as it goes past is deafeningly loud, he will happily ride alongside the M20. and i know he has never seen any of these things before.
If you could find a rural train station local to you why not ride her past every now + again try to introduce her that way.
|
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
arabic
Platinum Member
England
4562 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2007 : 11:39:28 AM
|
Hi Stella,
One of our favourite routes to ride on encorporates going under a viaduct and then a little further on over a bridge that crosses the railway line. Freddie has been both under the viaduct and on the bridge when trains have passed. Scariest was when the driver did the old dee daa hooter noise when he saw us on the bridge thankfully Freddie wasnt phased by it!!.
Perhaps you could ride within hearing distance so that first of all he gets accustomed to the noise and gradually build on it, or perhaps go out with a horse already familiar with it. He may surprise you and be fine anyway!!
Good luck
Sandie |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
Grey Girl
Platinum Member
England
1554 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2007 : 7:22:24 PM
|
My friend keeps her horse in a field that has a steam train line running at the bottom: she says that the first time he heard and saw this snorting, steaming monster he swivelled in fright, then saw that the horses were ignoring it, so he ignored it too.
It's a case of go and find a train...
I was once riding in our field in misty weather and a train hooted (the line is miles away) and due to the strange atmospheric conditions it sounded like it was right beside us - I nearly dropped dead with shock!
Roseanne: I know what you mean about jets and helicopters: but Amelia is cool as custard with Chinooks! Just as well really, the blinking things are all over the place. There was some research etc done with the BHS and RAF recently about safety twixt horses and military aviation - I can't remember all the info now, but I should think it's still on their website. They should certainly NOT be taking the view of 'it's your problem'.
Grey Girl |
 Said the little eohippus, "I´m going to be a HORSE"  |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
Roseanne
Moderator
United Kingdom
6708 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2007 : 8:08:08 PM
|
| Alison what they told me (I was calling for a story when a young boy had been killed when his pony was spooked by low flying jets!) was that they sympathised but our pilots and those of our allies, needed to be trained, and if we wanted to be sure not to encounter low flying aircraft we should ride out in bad weather or on Sundays!!!! |
Roseanne |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
Grey Girl
Platinum Member
England
1554 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2007 : 8:59:52 PM
|
Roseanne: Hells bells, that is NOT an acceptable attitude! There was definitely something recently though with the BHS - I vaguely remember one of the things that riders can do to help is wear flourescent (sorry, spelling) silks on their helmets as apparently this makes them very visible to pilots (always assuming they are looking, of course; personally as a pilot I would be keeping an eye out for other aircraft rather than people on the ground, but there you go).
Grey Girl |
Said the little eohippus, "I´m going to be a HORSE" |
| Report to Moderator |
|
| |
Topic |
|
Topic Locked 